Stephanie Spear 
Like many young adults, David Kim moved to Northern Virginia after graduating from college. Lots of friends around meant lots of nights out, but also a lot of planning. David developed an app designed to make it easier to plan nights out, whether you’re in your own neighborhood or traveling elsewhere. We chatted with David, the founder of the app Barco, about why the app is relevant and why Northern Virginia is the best testing ground for it. Read on for more with David Kim, founder of the Barco app.
About David
David grew up in New Hyde Park on Long Island, NY, and attended James Madison University. “I graduated from James Madison University with a Computer Information Systems degree in 2018,” he said. “I currently work as a software developer in federal consulting full-time while also working on Barco outside of my normal 9-5.”
He developed Barco to solve the age-old problem among friend groups looking for a night out: where should we go tonight? “When I first moved here it took forever to figure out which places matched what I was in the mood for,” he said. “ Everything from where to find trivia nights, which spots had a good happy hour, or even what times I could go out without waiting in a huge line.”
“These are common problems I’ve had, whether I’m in a new city or just looking to try something different,” David said. “I kept thinking: ‘How nice would it be if there was a single app that consolidated all this information and it was one tap away?’ That idea became Barco.”
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According to David, Barco is useful for bar and restaurant owners as well. “Not everyone follows local spots on social media and especially if you’re new to town, or traveling somewhere new, you wouldn’t know which places to look up on Instagram,” he said. “Barco gives bars a direct line of communication with their immediate community. They can share updates, promote events, highlight specials, and reach people who are actively looking for somewhere to go right now.”
About Barco
Barco is equal parts ratings and reviews of local spots, a ‘heat map’ of how crowded venues are, and an events calendar. The interactive map makes it easy to find spots in a certain area.
“My goal is to make it easier to discover local businesses in every city and build a community where people can share their experiences without having to dig through endless Google searches or long Reddit threads,” David said. “Barco brings everything together in one place. Users can even post real-time updates like a ‘Live Status’ or a ‘Story’ so others know what the vibe is before heading out.”
The more users interact with the app, the more they’ll get out of it. “You can follow your favorite bars, add friends, and see each other’s ratings and experiences. It makes going out more collaborative because you’re not just relying on generic reviews; you can also get insight from the people you trust,” David said.
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In talking with bar and restaurant owners, David says the feedback has been mixed. “Some owners loved the idea and have expressed it would be incredibly useful, others were more cautious and both have been equally valuable insight. A few owners mentioned that they already feel stretched thin managing multiple platforms on top of everything else they’re responsible for, so the idea of maintaining ‘one more thing’ felt overwhelming to them. Another owner mentioned that they’ve seen similar concepts before but they never gained traction so they weren’t interested at this time,” David said.
But he also looks forward to revisiting these conversations in a few months when Barco has gained more traction. “What was encouraging, though, is that even the skeptical owners have said they hope Barco succeeds because the problem is real. The fact that similar concepts have been attempted before actually reinforces that the demand is there,” David said. “I’ve also seen a lot of validation on social media from everyday users who have expressed the need for this app.”
“I think a big part of earning owners’ trust is proving the value first. That’s why I’m focused on growing the user side and building a strong community of everyday people who actively use the app,” David said. “Once owners see that Barco is already where their customers are, I think many will feel more confident adopting it and will naturally start to see the value it brings.”
As far as starting this type of app in Northern Virginia, David said it was a natural choice. “Northern Virginia is a great fit because there’s a really diverse and active bar scene. There are many professionals, transplants, and students looking for things to do, plus a lot of scenic and historic areas to socialize in,” he said. “It’s the perfect place for an app that helps people explore and find the right spot quickly.”
The Barco app is free to download from the App store. You can follow the app on Instagram for updates.
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